ABRAHAM LINCOLN is the subject of Steven Spielberg‘s next film. With two films currently in theatres (The Adventures of Tintin, War Horse), Spielberg is already deep into production of Lincoln, which is based on the book “Team of Rivals” by Doris Kearns Goodwin. The film features an incredibly deep cast led by Daniel Day-Lewis (left) as Honest Abe. The supporting cast includes Sally Field as Mary Todd Lincoln, Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Robert Todd Lincoln, Jared Harris as Ulysses S Grant, and Tommy Lee Jones as Thaddeus Stevens. Anticipated release date: Christmas 2012
Greetings again from the darkness. The great Richard Pryor had a portion of his act dedicated to having a heart attack, based on his real life experience. I guess if he can generate laughter from a coronary, there is no reason writer Will Reiser and director Jonathan Levine (The Wackness) can’t treat Cancer as Comedy. There is little doubt that the subject matter of this film will limit its audience, but for those brave souls who give it a shot, I believe you will find it funny, touching and insightful.
The film introduces us to Adam (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) who is a very nice, very normal, very low-key guy who works at a radio station as a writer … a very conscientious radio writer. Adam experiences a nagging pain in his back, which is unusual for a healthy 27-year-old. After a few tests, the emotionless doctor informs him that he has a rare spinal cancer … also very unusual for a healthy 27-year-old. From this point forward, the film borders on brilliance at times.
Adam’s girlfriend is played by Bryce Dallas Howard; his mother by Angelica Huston; and his best friend by Seth Rogen. Each reacts in different ways to Adam’s diagnosis, but what’s really interesting is not just how these people react, but also how Adam reacts. He moves forward in his meticulous manner, but all the while we know the emotions are brewing. We see this in his sessions with his therapist-in-training played by Anna Kendrick.
Seth Rogen’s character is basically a carbon copy of his act in 40-Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up. He spews profane one-liners faster than our ears can process. Usually I find myself quite put off by anything Rogen is involved with, but his character here provides the far-fetched balance that this story requires. Despite the aggressive front, Rogen’s character is a true friend with a heart … and one who doesn’t hesitate to share his medicinal marijuana.
So while Rogen’s character generates much of the laughter, the real treasure of this film is in the subtleties of each character in certain moments … and each character has their moment. Many will compare this to Adam Sandler‘s film Funny People, which also starred Seth Rogen. But this movie has infinitely more depth and substance than that one offered, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt is a significantly better actor than Sandler.
My warning: brace yourself. The theatre was filled with tears and sniffles, with significant laugh out loud moments mixed in. This is an emotional, self-reflective film that will confound you as you inexplicably laugh while listening to cancer talk.
SEE THIS MOVIE IF: you would like to see a totally different take the devastating effects of cancer … on health, emotions, relationships, etc – all done in a very personal, believable style.
SKIP THIS MOVIE IF: you just can’t get your head around the idea of Cancer as Comedy
Greetings again from the darkness. Inceptionis the exception. It is very rare for me to feel the need to follow-up on a recent posting … especially one that’s only a couple of weeks old. I feel strongly enough about this film that I want to make sure one thing is clear: if you enjoy dramatic films, you should go see this one. Immediately. At a theatre.
Here are some TIPS/warnings:
1. Be prepared to pay attention.
2. Pay attention.
3. The movie runs just over 2 1/2 hours. Don’t get a large Coke … there is no “down” time for a restroom break. You will miss something of interest if you leave the theatre or don’t pay attention.
4. Listen to the dialogue. The story is kind of like assembling a puzzle. You can’t finish if you don’t have all the pieces.
5. Please refer to Tip #2.
There is no need to be intimated by this film, but it is an intricate story with multiple levels. If you only enjoy fluffy feel-good movies, this one will disappoint you. If you like to think and appreciate films designed to capture your mind, you will probably agree with me that it is terrific and that director Christopher Nolan is a film genius.
I also want to point out, now that I have seen it 3 times, that Marion Cotillard is absolutely amazing as Mal, the wife of Leonardo DiCaprio’s character. Not sure what other performances are coming up in the second half of 2010, but I certainly hope she gets a supporting actress nomination come Oscar time. Also, the hotel scenes get even better with each viewing. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is a physical marvel as he negotiates the environment sans-gravity.
If you missed my initial comments on the film, here is the link:
If you are the least bit interested in this film, my strong advice is to go see it at theatre and not wait for DVD/Cable/NetFlix. It is meant to be experienced on a huge screen with huge sound.
Greetings again from the darkness. Some movies are made as pure visual entertainment. Others are made as a vision of a story. The best combine elements of both. The great ones WOW you with what you see on screen, while keeping your mind focused on the multiple dimensions of a story that just won’t let you jump ahead. The previous sentence is my feeble attempt at describing what happens during Inception.
Writer/director Christopher Nolan turns 40 at the end of this month. He now has 3 instant-classic films to his credit: Memento, The Dark Knight and now Inception. I am not a good enough writer to describe just how talented he his at making films. What I can tell you is that this movie gave me a “runner’s high” … it put me “in the zone”. As a viewer, I felt in perfect sync at each twist and turn.
There are two pieces of advice I will offer. First, go see the film at a theatre on the big screen. Don’t wait for NetFlix. Second, pay attention to every scene and every line. Trust Mr. Nolan to take you on this wild ride. You may be able to figure out the ending (if there even is one), but you will have missed the real point of the film … how did you get here?
Here is a brief synopsis: Leonardo DiCaprio plays an expert thief. He is a thief who steals ideas by infiltrating the dreams of his targets and snatching their ideas. A very wealthy tycoon played by Ken Watanabe hires DiCaprio for a risky project of Inception – the inserting of an idea into the subject’s mind through dreams, rather than the stealing of an idea. DiCaprio’s team is played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt (with physical brilliance while lacking gravitational force), Tom Hardy (from Rocknrolla), master chemist Dileep Rao, and new recruit Ellen Page (“Juno” plays a brilliant architect prodigy with a genius of space and dimension). Cillian Murphy plays the target and Michael Caine is DiCaprio’s father in law … the link between who Leo is now and his previous life with his wife, played hauntingly well by Marion Cotillard.
A perfect Nolan touch is Ellen Page’s character name – Ariadne. A quick google finds that Ariadne, in Greek mythology, fell in love with Theseus and helped him escape Minotaur’s labyrinth. The film is full of mazes and is itself a labyrinth punctuated by a stunning and powerful score by Hans Zimmer. You will find yourself bouncing from dream to reality, jumping into another’s dreams, layering dreams upon each other … oh, and watching a mind-bending special effect as the city of Paris is folded over on top of itself.
Clear your mind for 2 and a half hours and let a terrific filmmaker take you on a journey through mindspace that we never really pay attention to. The payoff is dream-like. This film was on my “films of interest” list on my First Half recap. If you missed the recap, here is the link: https://moviereviewsfromthedark.wordpress.com/2010/07/14/2010-first-half-recap/
ABRAHAM LINCOLN is the subject of Steven Spielberg‘s next film. With two films currently in theatres (The Adventures of Tintin, War Horse), Spielberg is already deep into production of Lincoln, which is based on the book “Team of Rivals” by Doris Kearns Goodwin. The film features an incredibly deep cast led by Daniel Day-Lewis (left) as Honest Abe. The supporting cast includes Sally Field as Mary Todd Lincoln, Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Robert Todd Lincoln, Jared Harris as Ulysses S Grant, and Tommy Lee Jones as Thaddeus Stevens. Anticipated release date: Christmas 2012
Posted by David Ferguson 
Movie Reviews from the Dark 